Premiership Rugby Cup

[Puja]

Can't be bothered to do an individual match thread for the Mickey Mouse Cup.

Leicester vs Newcastle:

TIGERS: 15. Kini Murimurivalu, 14. Kobus van Wyk, 13. Jaco Taute (c), 12. Juan Pablo Socino, 11. Hosea Saumaki; 10. Dan Lancaster, 9. Jonny Law; 1. Francois van Wyk, 2. Archie Vanes, 3. Will Hurd, 4. Josh Poullet, 5. David Douglas Bridge, 6. Tomiwa Agbongbon, 7. Olly Robinson (vc), 8. Sean Jansen *

Replacements: 16. David Aniebonam, 17. Dan Richardson, 18. Nephi Leatigaga, 19. Chester Owen, 20. Nathan Tweedy, 21. Sam Edwards, 22. Morgan Meredith, 23. Jacob Cusick

FALCONS: 15. Alex Tait, 14. Ollie Lindsay-Hague, 13. Max Wright, 12. Luther Burrell, 11. Nathan Earle; 10. Brett Connon, 9. Louis Schreuder; 1. Adam Brocklebank, 2. Charlie Maddison, 3. Richard Palframan, 4. George Merrick, 5. Rob Farrar, 6. Callum Chick (c), 7. Freddie Lockwood, 8. Tom Marshall

Replacements: 16. Robbie Smith, 17. Conrad Cade, 18. Mark Tampin, 19. Matthew Dalton, 20. Jamie Blamire, 21. James Blackett, 22. Joel Hodgson, 23. Zach Kerr

Weird old team from Leicester. Not entirely sure of the value of getting game time into Kobus Van Wyk or, to a lesser extent, of playing Taute and Socino either. Be interesting to see how Vanes and Lancaster get on, but it doesn't feel like a team that's set up to learn anything or get a result; more of a "Who's left" after everyone's been rested.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Gilbert are introducing a smart rugby ball this weekend:

https://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/smart-ball

[Mikey Brown]

Will Evans backs for Quins. Fantastic news. Odd looking side with Ross Chisholm at 10.

[Peej]

Wasps vs Sale:

1 Ben Harris (84)
2 Michael van Vuuren (7)
3 Elliot Millar-Mills (8)
4 Theo Vukasinovic (11)
5 Tim Cardall (44)
6 Kieran Curran (3)
7 Ben Morris (51)
8 Nizaam Carr (71)
9 Will Porter (47)
10 Charlie Atkinson (27)
11 Francois Hougaard (7)
12 Michael Le Bourgeois (70)
13 Paolo Odogwu (31)
14 Zach Kibirige (58)
15 Ali Crossdale (12)

Replacements
16 Dan Frost (11)
17 Robin Hislop (17)
18 Pieter Scholtz (7)
19 Fyn Brown (1)
20 Tom Willis (55)
21 Sam Wolstenholme (28)
22 Rob Miller (132)
23 Malakai Fekitoa (40)

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Jack Metcalf, 13. Connor Doherty, 12. Sam Hill, 11. Elliott Gourlay, 10, Kieran Wilkinson, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Tommy Taylor (capt), 3. Joe Jones, 4. Matt Postlethwaite, 5. Dom Barrow, 6. Ewan Murphy, 7. Curtis Langdon, 8. Rouban Birch.

Replacements: 16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. Cal Ford, 19. Alex Groves, 20. Ben Bamber, 21. Will Cliff, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Joe Bedlow

Not a fearsome Sale team, but given Wasps' current performances enough to be 25 points up after 20 minutes.

[Puja]

Not a fearsome Sale team, but given Wasps' current performances enough to be 25 points up after 20 minutes.

You kidding? Your backline is only a few players off your first (available) choice and even your pack has regular first team squad names in there. Plus your bench has more first team squad names, including TWillis, Miller, and Fekitoa. Whereas Sale have 5 youth players that have never been in a first team squad before (by my reckoning) starting and 4-5 more on the bench, plus a hooker at 7. If you take out Ross Harrison, I wouldn't be surprised if Rob Miller has played more first team games than the rest of their XXIII.

Puja

[Peej]

I wish I was kidding, but Wasps are turning in some rank performances of late. The 'oh, we have so many injured players' that was used earlier in the season is ringing a bit hollow now many of them back and we're still not performing anywhere approaching our best

[fivepointer]

Wasps are far stronger on paper. Really be a surprise if they dont win. Will Porter is coming along nicely this season.

I note Barrow gets a start for Sale and Groves is on the bench.

[fivepointer]

Warriors | 15 Morgan Bunting, 14 Alex Hearle, 13 Oli Morris, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Tom Howe, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Will Chudley (C), 1 Kai Owen, 2 Beck Cutting, 3 Jay Tyack, 4 James Scott, 5 Justin Clegg, 6 Caleb Montgomery, 7 Jack Forsythe, 8 Lekima Ravuvu.

Replacements | 16 Joe Richardson, 17 Lewis Holsey, 18 Ben Murphy, 19 Cheick Kone, 20 Isaac Miller, 21 Ollie Wynn, 22 Tom Miles, 23 Iestyn Galton.

Exeter Chiefs | 15 Dan John, 14 Arthur Relton, 13 Sean O’Brien, 12 Tom Hitchcock, 11 Facundo Cordero, 10 Jack Walsh, 9 Stu Townsend (C), 1 Billy Keast, 2 Max Norey, 3 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 4 Will Witty, 5 Cory Teague, 6 Santiago Grondona, 7 Lewis Pearson, 8 Sam Prior.

Replacements | 16 Jordon Poole, 17 James Kenny, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Sam Leworthy, 20 Danny Southworth, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne , 22 Iwan Jenkins, 23 Frankie Nowell.

[Puja]

Great to see Shillcock back for Worcester. Really do like him as a player.

Puja

[FKAS]

Ollie Robinson and Brett Deacon haven't traveled with Tigers to Newcastle as their wives have gone into labour.

Nathan Tweedy goes in at 7 and Tom Harrison the scrum coach is taking on the top job for the night.

Simon Koroiyadi a 17 year old backrow comes onto the bench. Academy player's player award winner for this season.

[Puja]

Ollie Robinson and Brett Deacon haven't traveled with Tigers to Newcastle as their wives have gone into labour.

Nathan Tweedy goes in at 7 and Tom Harrison the scrum coach is taking on the top job for the night.

Simon Koroiyadi a 17 year old backrow comes onto the bench. Academy player's player award winner for this season.

Nice syncronisation on the wives' part. I've heard good reports of Koroiyadi - hope he gets a bit of time on the pitch.

Puja

[Adam_P]

Saints:

15 Tommy Freeman
14 Josh Gillespie
13 Piers Francis (c)
12 Joel Matavesi
11 Ahsee Tuala
10 James Grayson
9 Tom James

1 Nick Auterac
2 James Fish
3 Karl Garside
4 Alex Moon
5 Luke Frost
6 JJ Tonks
7 Ollie Newman
8 Geordie Irvine

Replacements:
16 Mike Haywood
17 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi
18 Ed Prowse
19 Alex Coles
20 George Patten
21 Connor Tupai
22 George Hendy
23 Frankie Sleightholme

Saracens:

Mawi, Pifeleti, Wainright, McFarland, Hunter-Hill, Stonham, Wray (c) Christie, de Haas, Vunipola, Segun, Morris, Hallett, Harris, Obatoyinbo.

Lewis, Crean, Jeffries, Nkwocha, Dan, Bryan. Moore, Jackson

[Adam_P]

Very happy to see Freeman fit again, hopefully he'll get a run in the first team and finish the season well. Think he's got to be our starting 15 next season. Also interested to see what Joel Matavesi can do at 12, as he's just signed a short term deal today which to me seems like a trial as we don't have injury issues at centre. If he can run hard and straight he could be a good point of difference to Saints centres. Also keen to see how the younger Sleightholme goes off the bench.

[Mellsblue]

Also interested to see what Joel Matavesi can do at 12.

Looked very good for Bedford by all accounts.

[Banquo]

Very happy to see Freeman fit again, hopefully he'll get a run in the first team and finish the season well. Think he's got to be our starting 15 next season. Also interested to see what Joel Matavesi can do at 12, as he's just signed a short term deal today which to me seems like a trial as we don't have injury issues at centre. If he can run hard and straight he could be a good point of difference to Saints centres. Also keen to see how the younger Sleightholme goes off the bench.

What would you do with George ? I do really rate Freeman to be clear.

[Puja]

Difficult game for a young Leicester XXIII and they probably deserved better than they got (especially since the fourth Newcastle try was very, very forward), but I think it'll be a very valuable learning experience for the youngsters. No-one really stood out or staked a claim, but a good few have discovered a lot about adult rugby and hopefully will be better players for it.

Puja

[Adam_P]

Very happy to see Freeman fit again, hopefully he'll get a run in the first team and finish the season well. Think he's got to be our starting 15 next season. Also interested to see what Joel Matavesi can do at 12, as he's just signed a short term deal today which to me seems like a trial as we don't have injury issues at centre. If he can run hard and straight he could be a good point of difference to Saints centres. Also keen to see how the younger Sleightholme goes off the bench.

What would you do with George ? I do really rate Freeman to be clear.

Good bench option to cover 10/15. Seems tough because he is also a quality player, but think Freeman has the potential to be the much better fullback of the two.

[Banquo]

Very happy to see Freeman fit again, hopefully he'll get a run in the first team and finish the season well. Think he's got to be our starting 15 next season. Also interested to see what Joel Matavesi can do at 12, as he's just signed a short term deal today which to me seems like a trial as we don't have injury issues at centre. If he can run hard and straight he could be a good point of difference to Saints centres. Also keen to see how the younger Sleightholme goes off the bench.

What would you do with George ? I do really rate Freeman to be clear.

Good bench option to cover 10/15. Seems tough because he is also a quality player, but think Freeman has the potential to be the much better fullback of the two.

Freeman might ‘suffer’ because he is a decent wing option too. I think I agree, though Furbank has been good at 15 and does have more ‘body of work’. Have to hope Tommy stays fit and plays well!

[Adam_P]

Bit of a try fest the Sarries v Saints game. Sounds like Hendy had a very strong game off the bench - another talented fullback coming through!

[Peej]

Wasps seem to have put in a big shift and ridden a fair bit of disruption, having lost three players to HIAs in 15 minutes at the start of the game